Self-leveling berth



(No Model.)

L. J. BAK-ER.

SELF LEVBLI'NG BERTH.

Pajbented 1360.26, 1882'.

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LORING J. BAKER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-LEVELINGl BERTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters' Patent No. 269,617, datedDecember 26, 1882,

Application led May 4, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

ABe it known that I, LOB-ING J. BAKER, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Self-Leveling Ships Berths; andI do hereby declare thatthe following is a i'ull, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to swinging berths such as are used on shipboard toautomatically adapt themselves to the motions of the ship, and toreinainlin a horizontal position whether the ship pitch or roll. Inberths of this class it is desirable to have freedom of movement withsufficient stability in the berth to allow the occupant to get in andout without difficulty. It is also desirable to occupy the leastpossible space both for the movement ot' the berth and for the mechanismwhich supports it, both on account of the limited space on shipboard andbecause it is desirable to adapt the apparatus to cabinshaving the bedor fixed form ot' berths. It has heretofore been found necessary in manyforms of swinging berths to suspend the berth from above in order toobtain the proper swinging movement; but this has encumbered the spaceabove the berth and occasions greatinconvenience tothe occupant,thesupporting mechanism being unavoidably in the way.

The object of my invention is to economize the space both above andbelow the berth, as well as at the-ends, to reduce the mechanism whichsupports the berth to the simplest possible limits, to secure an easylimited movement, and to provide locking mechanism by which the occupantcan at any time lock the berth in any desired position.

Myinvention consists,trst,ofimproved supporting devices adapted to giveproper rocking or swinging movement to the'berth; second, in an improveddevice for limiting the lateral movement and for regulating thelongitudinal inclination ot' the berth; and,third, of and improvedlooking device for tixing the berth in any given position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a plan view of myberth; Fig. 2, a rear side elevaticn, and Fig. 3 a section on line w ofFig. 1.

In these drawings, A represents the berth, which I have shown asprovided with a back,

(No model.)

a, highest at the middle pait. The berth is supported directly upon arod, b, which lies in a transverse groove or any suitable bearing on theunder side ofthe berth. This rod is fixed to side bars, c c, which aresuspended by yokesd d,pivoted to the ends ofthe side bars. These yokesare made preferably rectangular in form, and are fitted to pass over theends of the berth and inclose the same, so that they occupy no spacebetween the ends of the berth and the walls; and, further, asthe berthrocks and either end rises its upward movement is limited bycoming inContact with the horizontal part ot' the yoke. The yokes are suspendedfrom the end walls by links e o. These links are attached to staples inthe wall, and also to the yokes by means of elongated staples j'. Thisconstruction ot the side pieces,yokes, and suspending-links allowslongitudinal swinging movement of the frame which supports the berthwithin the end partitions, with a constant tendency to bring` the berthback to a centra-l position. It also permits a lateral swinging movementwithin suflioient limits, and as the links are connected to the yokes ata little distance from each other they tend to restrain the lateralswing of the berth and to return it to a normal position, for the reasonthat as the berth swings to one side or the other it throws the weightupon the links opposite that side to which it swings, thus changing theposition of the support from the center to the side toward which theberth is to be returned.

The devices already described allow all the movement necessary to permitthe berth to remain in a horizontal position in the pitch or rollof theship. In order to maintain the berth in this position, I provide anotherconnection of the berth with some fixed point, whereby the berth is heldin its proper relation to the frame.

It will be apparent, as the berth rests only upon the transverse rod,vthatwithout some .other connection its ends would not be supported, buteither one end or the other might tip to the iioor. 1n order to providesuch connection and support without interfering with the proper lateralmovement ofthe berth, I have devised a'jointed bracket, g h, whichconnects the upper part of the back ofthe berth' at an approximatelycentral point with IOO the wall of the compartment. The piece h ispivoted in ears upon the wall, so as to swing freely in a transversevertical plane. Upon thefree end ot' it is pivoted the piece or arm g,adapted to swing also in a transverse vcrtical plane. This arm r1 ispivoted at its upper end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to a pin, 7.2, theend of which works in a bearing in the back of the berth. This allowsthe berth to swing laterallyT within certain limits-that is to say, theberth may swing out until the part li of' the bracket is brought down toa nearly vertical position; or it may swing inwardly until the two partsof the bracket are extended to the utmost lilnit of their length.Further, as the arm g can move only in a vertical plane across theberth, it prevents any longitudinal movement of that part ot' the berthto which itis attached and causes the berth to swing longitudinally, asif it were suspended from the piu 7.'. Thus the berth has twobearingpoints-one upon the transverse rod b underneath it and the otherat the pin 7.', so that the berth is held in a certain relation to theframe, and can only swing out of horizontal plane with cndwise movementof said frame. The bracket is formed with wide bearings upon the pieceh, in order to guard against the twisting strain which would be put uponit by the longitudinal swing ot' the berth.

I do not contine myself` to this special construction of the bracket, asit may be varied, the essential point in respect to this part ot' myinvention being the upper support, which holds the upper part ot' theback ot' the berth (or the upper end of a standard fixed thereto)against longitudinal movement, while permitting free lateral movement.

The position of the pin k is represented in the drawings as at a centralpoint in the length ot' the berth; but in order to adapt the berth tothe position ot' the occupant when a greater weight is thrown upon oneend or the other, l have provided a slot for the pin k, so that it maybe moved ont of the center in one direction or the other in order toadapt it to the center ot' gravity. Thus, it' the greaterweight ot' theperson be at the head of the berth, the pin has to be shifted toward thehead. It may be changed and held in position when changed by means of athumb-nut, l, easily accessible to theperson in the berth.

In berths of this class it is desirable to have a simple locking deviceby means ot' which the berth may be held in any required position bothagainst longitudinal and lateral movement; that both movements should beprevented by a single device, and that this device should be operativeby means of a handle within reach of the occupant. I accomplish all thisby means ofinterlocking serrated plates, one xed to the wall and theother movable upon the berth. The xed plate is shown atm. It is fixed tothe wall and projects at right angles therefrom underneath the berth.The upper edge is curved on a line parallel with the line of movementot' the in ner lower corner of the berth. 0n the inner bar, e, isanother movable plate, n, having a serrated locking-edge, as described.I prefer to pivot it in the manner shown in Fig. 2, the plate beingslotted, as shown in -that figure, to receive screws which hold itinplace and limit its vertical movement. It is moved by a bell-cranklever, 0, which is connected to the plate n by a link, p. The bell-cranklever o is pivoted upon the back of the berth, and a handle q projectsover the edge, so as to be conveniently within the reach ofthe occupanof the berth. f

It will be apparent that when thev lever o is moved in one direction theplate n will be pushed downward to interlock with the plate m, when theberth will be held against any tilting or rocking movement in eitherdirection. The plates are both made long enough to provide for all themovement of which the berth is capable. This locking-plate, beingarranged midway ofthe berth, holds it steadily and securely in place.The form of the plates and the devices for causing them to interlock maybe varied without departing from the spirit ot' my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isu 1. In combination,a suspended frame adapted to swing longitudinally and laterally, a berthcentrally supported on transverse pivots on said frame, and an uppersupporting-pivot on a flexible bracket adapted to hold the berth inproper relation to the frame, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a suspended frame adapted to swing longitudinally andlaterally, a berth centrally supported on transverse pivot on saidframe, a bracket connected by pivot to a central upper extension of theberth, and also to a fixed part, and inflexible in the direction ot' thelength of the berth, but permitting lateral movement, substantially asdescribed.

3. In combination, a suspended frame adapt` ed to swing laterally andlongitudinally, a berth supported centrally on transverse pivot,ajoiuted connecting-bracket, g hf, and pivot all substantially as setforth.

4. In combination with the berth supported on a swngingframe, theslotted upper extension, the adjustable pin, and the transverselyexiblebracket, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a berth, side bars, a central transversepivoting-rod, end yokes sus pended from the walls, and an uppertransversely-flexible arm carrying a pivot for the upper extension ofsaid berth, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the side bars supporting the pivoted berth, theyokes,and the links e e, converging toward their lower ends andseparately connected to the links, as set forth.

7. In combina-tion with a swinging berth and supporting mechanism,substantially as IOO IOS

l'lO

IIS

described, whereby lateral and longitudinal yokes dd, links e e, bracketg h, and pin k, all movement is permitted, a serrated plate fixedconstructed as shown in the described relato a part outside the berth, amovable serrated tion to the berth. plate on the berth at right anglesto the fixed, In testimony whereof I havesigned my name z5 5 and a leverfor operating the movable, plate, to this specification in thepresenceof two subsubstantial] y as described. scrbing witnesses.

8. In combination with a swinging berth, 1

Y the plate m, fixed to the wall, the plate n, mov- LORlNG J BAKER ableon the berth, bell-crank lever 0, and link Witnesses z' 1o p, allsubstantially as described. FRANK MIDDLETON,

9. The combination of the side bars, c c, DAVID H. MEAD.

